Is There a Manual for This Kinda Thing?
by Lain Stardust
Summary: Jareth makes a surprising confession to Sarah, causing a change in their relationship and in their setting. Set right after the movie. Crossover with BtVS, eventually.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Henson and Whedon and numerous others own it all. Except the storyline--that's mine. :)

**Author's Note:** Bad author, not updating my other story, yet. I'll get to it, but it's very delicate and thus slow in coming. However, here's something to help tide y'all over. And I've set it in present day, basically. Think spring 1997.

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Sarah stood in the middle of her room as the last of her friends from the Underground disappeared. She looked around herself and gasped as she took in the extensive damage caused by all of the partying goblins. Streamers were draped from window to dresser to bed, crisscrossing through the empty spaces available. Confetti littered every surface possible, and the room itself was a shambles. Sarah murmured in dismay, "Oh, what a horrible mess! Oh well," she sighed resignedly as she gathered up some clothes from her dresser. "I'll just clean it up _after_ I get my shower." That said, she turned her back on the disarray and slipped out to the bathroom, ready to wash off the grime accumulated from her trip through the Labyrinth.

When she returned a half hour later, she was definitely dreading the amount of work it would take to make her room presentable by morning. Sarah was careful to be extra quiet closing her bedroom door so as not to disturb her father and stepmother down the hall. As she turned around to face the task before her, she gasped to find her bedroom was once again in perfect order. Everything was just so, in its appointed place as if nothing so unusual as a Goblin party had ever taken place there.

A movement by the window caught her attention, and Sarah's head whipped in that direction, eyes peering into the darkness. She squeaked in surprise as the Goblin King shifted partially out of the shadows before moving back, just enough for her to see and recognize him. Remembering the sleeping parental units down the hall, she clamped her hands over her mouth in an effort to prevent herself from doing something as undignified as screaming. Eyes wide, she shook her head in disbelief, blinking a few times to make sure she wasn't just imagining the man standing in her room.

"I took the liberty of putting your room back in order," the Goblin King said quietly, remaining ensconced in the shadows.

"What do you want?" Sarah finally managed to ask around the lump of fear in her throat. A horrid thought suddenly dawning on her, she blurted out, "You can't have Toby! I beat your damn Labyrinth and won him back, fair and square!"

He raised an eyebrow in challenge and said, "Bribing my subjects and turning them to betrayal is _not_ fair."

"I wonder what your basis for comparison is," she retorted acerbically.

Jareth chuckled and raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Touché. At any rate, I'm not here about the baby, Sarah," he said with an amused tone. At her mistrustful glare, he added, "He's sleeping safe and sound in his crib as we speak. Go look for yourself if you don't believe me."

Sarah narrowed her eyes at him, demanding, "Why should I believe you? You're the one who kidnapped him in the first place and nearly killed me to keep me from getting him back!"

"Must we belabor this again?" Jareth moaned tiredly. "You wished the child away. I must, as a result of my position, come take the child. I have no choice in such matters, Sarah." Now, he stepped into the light, circling around her as he continued to explain. "You wanted him back, so I gave you the choice of unriddling the Labyrinth." Here, he paused and shot her a crooked smile. "You obviously managed that well enough, _even with some help_," he emphasized, "that I could return Toby to you."

A frown of confusion marred her features as she considered his words. "If that's the case, and all I had to do was make it through to the castle, what was deal with the offers at the end?"

"Ah," he clucked at himself as turned slightly away from her, attempting to appear aloof. "That would be the reason for my visit. You see, I find you to be a fascinating young lady and would like the chance to . . . get to know you better," Jareth finished, finally glancing sidelong at her, trying to measure her response.

"Wait a minute. If you wanted to 'get to know me' as you put it, why go through all the trouble of making it so difficult for me to get Toby back in the first place?" Sarah tilted her head, scrutinizing his face for any clues to his thoughts. "I mean, the cleaners, the Bog, the Goblin army…. Why bother?"

Jareth sighed and leaned against the wall beside the window, bathed in the moonlight this time instead of hiding in the shadows. He folded his arms over his chest and crossed his legs at the ankle, trying to hide his unease behind a show of indolence. "Yes, well, I had originally planned to see about making Toby my heir if you did not succeed. Besides a fairly superficial similarity, he seems to share my temperament, too." A self-mocking grin lit up his features as he considered this point.

"Why do I feel a really big 'but' coming any second now?" Sarah wondered aloud.

"Because you're a very astute girl," Jareth remarked. "_But_ as I watched you work your way toward the castle, I began to find you much more interesting than a mere babe. I started to get . . . other ideas," he finished, giving her a slow up and down appraisal, a wicked smirk starting to curl the corners of his lips.

Crossing her arms over her chest protectively, Sarah sniped back, "You and every other guy. Don't think I didn't see the looks you were giving me in the ballroom." She started to advance on him slowly as her indignation increased. "Do you really think that I'm so innocent that I didn't understand what was going on in the dark corners of that room? That I didn't know what those people in the pit were really doing?" Sarah stood only inches away from him then and raised an accusing finger, poking him dead center of his chest with it. "I'm on to your game, Goblin King, and some sex-driven ballroom fantasy of yours isn't going to make me fall begging at your feet," she concluded with one last triumphant poke.

"My dear, sweet, _innocent_ Sarah," Jareth chided, grasping the offending finger and attached hand in his gloved one. "That was not my fantasy, lovely girl, but _yours_." He leaned forward, his face less than an inch from hers. Lowering his voice to a husky rumble, he continued, "Everything you encountered in the bubble was pulled from that naughty little head of yours. So I would be careful where I pointed fingers if I were you." This said, he brought her hand up and gave the tip her still rigid finger a little kiss, eliciting a tiny gasp from her. "Oh, and Sarah, those thoughts about the tailoring of my pants—_very_ flattering." Jareth chuckled at her look of embarrassed dismay and released her hand, moving back only fractionally.

For her part, Sarah was suddenly very unsure of what to do, all of the righteous indignation she had built up had been snatched away by a few well-placed words of truth. And she couldn't deny that what he said was the truth—she _had_ thought those things. _I'm a red-blooded teenager, after all_, she thought._ What does he expect from me when he's prancing around in those damn tights._ She blushed even darker at the thought then heard his low laugh and glanced up to see his knowing eyes gazing at her with merriment.

"Stop that! Stop reading my mind!" she accused, glaring at him.

"Ah, there you go again making false accusations. I'm not reading your mind, Sarah, simply your expression and that attractive blush that's pinking your features so prettily." Jareth's smile widened when she ducked her head in unconscious acknowledgement of his remark. Seeing he had her off guard, he decided to tell her the rest of the reason for his visit. "There is something else I should tell you while I'm here."

Her head snapped up at that, eyes focusing on his face again instead of his boots. "What could that be, Goblin King? Some other observation to torment me with?" Sarah asked in a snotty tone.

"I wanted to discuss our last confrontation." Jareth took a steadying breath before continuing, eyes closed, "In all my years, I have never met anyone who could match me so well and who captured my interest so completely. My offer still stands." Finally, he opened his eyes and looked down into hers, leaning in closely. Speaking quieter than before, he murmured, "I would like to know you better, Sarah Williams—be your friend. And perhaps, one day, you will consent to be my wife."

Sarah stared at him in astonishment. The emotions going through her at that moment covered everything from confusion to awe to disbelief to giddiness to pride and to shock. She swayed slightly as these feelings overwhelmed her, and Jareth quickly grasped her upper arms in concern.

"Sarah?" he asked worriedly, eyes darting over her face in an attempt to gauge her reaction.

"I think I need to sit," she muttered dazedly, letting him guide her to her bed where she sat abruptly. After several minutes of tense silence, she looked up to find him hovering over her anxiously. "Did you just _propose_ to me?" Sarah asked in an unsteady voice.

"Yes, I did," Jareth replied slowly, seeming a bit surprised himself.

Blinking slowly as she processed this information, Sarah protested, "But you don't even _know_ me!"

Jareth sat next to her on the bed, taking both of her fidgeting hands in his. "I _want_ to get to know you. Don't you see, Sarah? I've lived for over two of your millennia, and I've never met anyone who sparks as much feeling inside me as you do." He reached up and caught her chin in his left hand, gently turning her face up to his so he could look her in the eye. "In my kingdom, no one does anything without expecting some gain for themselves. Yet for some unfathomable reason, I am in your company for no more than five minutes and I offer to be _your slave_. Me, a _king_, offering such a thing—and to a girl, no less!" Jareth's grip on her hand tightened as his left hand caressed her cheek and jaw. "If you have bewitched me somehow, I do not wish for the spell to be broken, dear Sarah." This said, he leaned forward the remaining distance and placed a tender kiss on her soft lips, gently moving his mouth over hers for less than a minute before pulling back.

Sarah goggled at him for a long while until she found her voice once more. "I . . . I don't know what to say," she began.

"Say you will consent to us becoming friends. I ask for nothing more than that," he said earnestly.

"O . . . okay," Sarah agreed slowly, still not quite believing the scene unfolding around her. She didn't have time to say anything else before he was standing over her again, a beatific smile on his face.

Cupping her face in his gloved hands, Jareth leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. "May you be kept safe from all harm," he murmured just above her skin. Straightening, he stepped back and added as he started to fade away, "And Sarah, call me Jareth."

When he had completely disappeared, Sarah crawled under the covers of her bed, unable to sleep as she replayed the surreal events of her day—and night—over and over again in her head. Suddenly, she sat upright and let out a little yelp. "Oh my God!" she breathed. "I think I just agreed to date the Goblin King!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **See Chapter one.

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**Chapter Two**

The next day was Saturday, and Sarah was doing her best to sleep in as late as possible. However, like all good plans, it was spoiled by a careless parent. At 9:30, her stepmother came into her room and woke her up by calling her name repeatedly. The only thing that saved the woman from grievous bodily harm was the fact that she was carrying a cup of coffee fixed just the way Sarah liked it. Karen set the mug on Sarah's nightstand, patted her stepdaughter on the shoulder, and reminded her not to go back to sleep before leaving the room.

Sarah moaned dramatically and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and reaching for her coffee. A small part of her kept wanting to believe that the previous night's events were nothing but a dream, but she could still feel the slight crackle left in the air by his magick. She slowly got up and dressed, brushed her hair and teeth and was still sipping her coffee as she wandered downstairs to get her list of chores for the day.

As she was going back upstairs that night after dinner, Sarah mulled over the little things that had kept happening that day, making her wonder if the Goblin King had done something to her the night before. Upon reaching a particular step, she remembered how early in the day, she had been carrying a basket of clean laundry upstairs to put away when she stubbed her toe on that particular step. _That was just too weird_, she thought. _I can't believe I didn't feel any pain. I mean, I kicked the step so hard Dad even came out of the study to make sure I was okay_. Sarah kept walking in a daze down the hallway toward her room, recalling the other big incident. _Ugh. I hate cooking! _"I never want to see another carrot again," she muttered to herself as she inspected her fingers. She kept checking for the gaping wound that should have been left behind from cutting vegetables. _I _know _I put a good slice in one of them_, she tried to convince herself. While helping cut the carrots for dinner, she had missed the vegetable and brought the knife down on her finger full force. _I still say I should have been dripping blood all over the place._ Her curiosity up to new levels by the time she made it to her room.

Sarah stepped into her room to be greeted by the sight of the Goblin King lounging in her window seat, flipping through one of her fairy tale books. He looked up as she entered and held up the book he was perusing. "You do realize," he began in a slightly amused tone, "that these are not accurate retellings of the events, don't you?"

"What?" she asked, dumbfounded by both his presence and his subject of conversation.

"I mean that the original tales had it much closer to the truth than this watered-down rubbish the adults here feed their children," Jareth clarified. He stood and put the book back on its shelf as he continued speaking. "Sleeping Beauty wasn't woken by a kiss from Prince Charming," he sneered. "She was raped by the rogue bastard and gave birth to twins while still in a coma. Cinderella's sisters cut off bits of their feet to fit into that damned shoe. Little Red Riding Hood actually consumed her dead grandmother's flesh and blood before the werewolf ate her."

"So they changed some stuff up so the kids wouldn't have nightmares." She shrugged, adding, "What's the big deal?"

Jareth turned to her and warned, "The tales of Fairie are much more sinister and corrupt than you Humans could ever imagine. And yet, you read them to your children as if they were harmless fluff. No wonder so many from the Overground wish to visit our realms." He tsked as he sat back down. "You're very fortunate that I made sure the less . . . desirable elements of the Labyrinth did not cross your path."

"Fortunate?" Sarah queried incredulously. "This from the man who set the Cleaners after me?"

He waved his hand dismissively at her outburst. "It was merely a delaying tactic. You'll recall that the wall gave out in time for you to get safely out of the way."

"That doesn't mean that it didn't scare me half to death!" she retorted, hands on her hips in defiance.

"_That_ was the whole point. Someone who wishes a child away must learn the true value of the child in order for it to be given back." Jareth gave her a meaningful look as he added, "Realizing it was a mistake to say something hurtful doesn't make up for the fact that words have an impact on those who hear them. Once said, they cannot be taken back." The hurt lurking behind his eyes flashed to the surface briefly before hiding again in the pale blue depths.

His last words brought Sarah up short. She remembered so well, suddenly, the lines that she had practiced in the park—the same words she'd said to him less than twenty-four hours earlier. A hand went up to her mouth as the realization of what she'd done dawned on her. "Oh, God. I'm so sorry. I never meant…," she cut herself short. Tears glistening in her eyes, she looked up at him and repeated, "I am _so_ sorry, Jareth."

The Goblin King was taken aback by her heartfelt apology, not having expected it this soon—if at all. He nodded guardedly and murmured, "Apology accepted." Trying to turn the conversation, he asked in a more cheerful manner, "Tell me how your day went."

It took her a moment to switch trains of thought, but her brow furrowed once she did. "About today," she began, "I've had a couple of things happen that should have left me limping and bleeding all over the kitchen, but for some reason, I'm just fine and dandy. Care to explain?" Sarah asked expectantly.

"I put a protection charm on you," Jareth told her. "During these incidents, did you happen to notice a faint tingling sensation on your forehead?" She scrunched her face in thought then nodded in confirmation. "Protection charm," he said simply. "When I kissed your forehead before I left last night, I wove the charm into my words. You'll find that as long as the charm is in place, nothing short of a natural death will harm you."

She gaped at him in stupefaction, mouth working but no sound coming out. "Okay, wait a minute. Are you saying I could, I dunno, get hit by a car, for example, and walk away from it without a scratch?"

"Essentially, yes. You could—if you _truly_ wanted to—hurt yourself," he stipulated, giving her a dangerous glare that said she had better not try anything of the sort. More quietly, he admitted, "Since it's my magick, I'm also able to harm you."

"Hold on," Sarah broke in, slightly panicked. "The one person I'm actually worried about is the one who can hurt me? Well that's just great," she muttered sarcastically, huffing in annoyance.

A smirk broke out on Jareth's features, and he stood, stalking towards her with the graceful movements of a predator. Sarah took a step back as he neared, causing his lips to curl up even further with wicked amusement. "Are you frightened of me, Sarah?" he asked sweetly as he backed her toward a wall.

Eyes widening anxiously, she tried very hard to play off her nervousness. "No. Of course not," she protested while continuing to inch away from him.

"Now why don't I believe you?" he pondered, eyes lighting up with glee as her back finally connected with the wall behind her. He reflected briefly that the look on her face was fairly reminiscent of a goblin facing a bath—all trepidation and big eyes. Jareth came up very close, placing his right hand on the wall above and to the side of her head. He leaned in more, letting his forearm rest flush against the wall, bringing his face level with Sarah's, eyes searching her face for something. He found it in the large pupils and quick breaths issuing from her, the slightly parted lips all signaling her nervous excitement and desire.

"Could it be," he asked softly, "that you're more afraid of this?" As the last syllable left him, he brushed her lips with his, the faintest touch possible before pulling back a tiny bit. Her eyes were closed, face tilted up expectantly, lips pushed out slightly—poised perfectly for him to lean back in to kiss her again. Such sweet invitation was too much temptation, and Jareth readily took advantage of her willingness. Before she could open her eyes or question him, he swooped back in, determined to kiss her properly this time.

Jareth pressed his mouth to Sarah's again, gradually increasing the pressure as he moved his lips over hers. As histongue flicked out to flick briefly at her closed mouth, his left hand came up to the side of her neck, thumb guiding her chin up more and rubbing along her jaw, trying to coax her further into the kiss. After a bit, Jareth sucked her full bottom lip between his, tenderly worrying at it with his teeth and tongue until she gasped into his mouth.

Unsure whether to keep kissing him or hit him, Sarah stood there too shocked to react. He had moved in so easily and had managed to catch her off guard just long enough to kiss her. It wasn't like she'd never kissed a boy before, but no boy had ever kissed like _that_. Jareth had immediately taken possession of her mouth and managed to make her legs feel like they were made of jelly. And his lips tasted so sweet, reminding her of a warm mocha with just a hint of caramel and an underlying bite—as if there was one shot too many of expresso.

A soft whimper escaped her, and Jareth's body reacted instantly to the enticing sound. If he didn't stop right then, he would quickly be dealing with a very prominent problem. With one last kiss on Sarah's soft lips, he pulled away, gazing down into her slightly glazed eyes, his better judgment warring with his need. Fortunately, common sense won out, and Jareth let his arms fall to his sides as he took a step back. At her confused and hurt expression, he flashed her a warm, if somewhat distracted, smile. "I need to go. Something . . . urgent just came up."

Bewildered and a bit breathless, Sarah babbled, "What? Wait. What's wrong?"

"As I said, I have a very urgent matter to attend to back at the castle." He took another cautious step back and added nervously, "Goblins—can't live with them, can't easily kill them." That said, the Goblin King seemed to just pop out of existence as he teleported back to his kingdom.

Sarah stomped her foot in a childish display of impatience as she stared at the spot he'd just occupied. "Dammit! And I was just starting to have fun."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I still own nothing. See chapter 1 for more details. :)

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated. A work conference and a Disney World vacation threw my writing schedule off kilter for a bit there. But I'm back and trying desperately to catch up. "Fee Fi Fo" should be getting an update w/in the next week, as well.

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**Chapter Three**

When Jareth arrived the next night, Sarah was waiting for him, hands on her hips and foot tapping impatiently. As soon as he materialized, she confronted him, "What was the deal with you just popping out of here last night?"

Her defiant stance surprised him a bit, and it took him a moment to find his voice. "A few of the goblins had gotten into the granary and were turning the foodstuffs. If I hadn't caught them when I did, the entire harvest would have been ruined," he lied smoothly. "And believe me, you don't want to see a hungry goblin, let alone a thousand of them. It's truly dreadful," he said, shuddering.

Eyes narrowing, Sarah stared hard at the Goblin King, sure he was lying. But without a way to prove it, she was afraid to call him on it. Instead, she crossed her arms and let out a disbelieving snort. He mirrored her pose as he reclined against the wall, regarding her with an amused air. "Well?" she asked expectantly after several minutes had passed in silence. At his raised eyebrow, she added, "What do you want?"

"We've already discussed this, Sarah," he chastised. "I want to get to know you better, and I'm here to do just that." When her prickly stance didn't lessen, Jareth pushed himself off of the wall with a booted foot and began prowling around her room, studying her decorations and toys. He stopped when he reached her vanity, the doll of the Goblin King catching his eye. His lips curled up in a smirk as he fingered first the doll's hair then coat. "Not a bad facsimile, I suppose. It does seem to be missing a few important attributes, though, as I'm sure you've already noticed," he intimated wickedly, plucking at the doll's tights. The blush that stained Sarah's cheeks was answer enough, and he laughed merrily as she shifted uncomfortably under his stare.

Relenting slightly, he continued his circuit of the room until he came to her closet and the dress hanging above the door. It was the creamy princess costume she'd been wearing in the park the day she'd entered the Labyrinth. He turned to her, resuming a position on the wall, and prompted, "Tell me about your acting, Sarah."

Startled from her thoughts which had begun to wander at Jareth's earlier insinuation, she looked to him in askance. "What?"

"I'd like to know about your acting aspirations," he reiterated. "Are you in a group? Do you study it in school?"

"Oh, um, yeah. I take drama class at the high school. It's pretty fun, and some of the people in there are really good." Her eyes turned downcast, and she murmured under her breath, "Unlike me."

Jareth took a few steps in her direction, halting in front of her and using his hand to lift her chin. "Come now, you're selling yourself short. I'm sure you're a fine actress. From what I've seen of your impromptu park recitals, you have a good deal of natural talent, my dear."

Her head jerked up suddenly as she questioned nervously, "You saw those?"

"Why did you think that owl was out there watching you? They are, by nature, nocturnal animals you know," Jareth told her, his voice holding a small note of amusement.

Feeling some implied insult, anger flashed in Sarah's eyes as she retorted hotly, "I figured it was rabid to be out in the day like that. Either that or it was just too stupid to tell the difference between night and day."

Jareth closed the remaining distance between them in an instant, his gloved hands gripping her upper arms just tight enough to hold her. "You would do well to be more careful who you insult, _little girl_," he half hissed, teasing her.

"I'm _not_ a little girl," she replied vehemently, voice rising with each word as she stomped her foot in frustration.

"Oh, no?" Jareth questioned her. "I suppose throwing tantrums over babysitting duties, slamming doors, and throwing things are all _very_ mature things to do, then," he remarked mockingly.

"I don't throw tantrums!" Sarah shouted, wriggling to get free. "Let me go, you creep!" she demanded, her voice becoming a scream.

He winced at the high pitch and brought his face close to hers. In a low, playful growl, he warned, "If you don't calm yourself immediately and stop acting like a child, I'll be forced to throw you over my knee and spank you."

The threat worked, causing her to go still and silent in shock. Sarah's eyes widened, and she muttered defiantly, "You wouldn't dare."

"Wouldn't I?" he challenged with an evil grin. Without warning, Jareth hauled her over to the bed where he sat and forced her to lay on her stomach across his lap. His right forearm pressed across her shoulder blades to pin her down, left hand resting firmly on her bottom in a tacit threat.

Sarah squirmed on his lap, trying to twist out from under his relentless grasp. Her left arm flailed behind her in an unsuccessful attempt to swat at him. When that didn't work, she used her right elbow to jab him hard in the hip, triumphant when he grunted in pain. Determined to get loose, she jabbed him again.

Jareth had been willing to wait out her struggles until she calmed down and got the fit out of her system, but her elbow was sharp and digging very painfully into his hip. Patience and playfulness wearing thin, he lifted his left hand and brought it down on Sarah's bottom with a sharp crack, causing her to jerk and yelp with the mild sting. In a calm and even tone, he informed her, "Sarah, while I understand that you might have misinterpreted my teasing, I will not warn you again. If you do not desist your attack on my hipbone this instant, I will be forced to give you more than just one swat on the backside, and any subsequent ones will be felt far more distinctly."

Stillness settled as his words registered with her. Knowing now that he wasn't bluffing, Sarah tried to twist her head around so she could look at him, her jaw hanging open incredulously. "You were _teasing_!" she squeaked. She wiggled a bit more in his lap, repeating indignantly, "Teasing!" Using all of her available strength, she finally managed to work free of the Goblin King's grip and lap, which unfortunately landed her in a heap on the floor. Scrambling around her, she tried to find something to use as a weapon—retaliation was in order. "Teasing," she muttered under her breath as her eyes lit on her Beanie Baby collection in the window seat. "I'll show you teasing!" was the only warning Jareth got before a Beanie Baby bear whacked him on the shoulder.

Startled, he looked across at Sarah to see another bear launched in his direction. Jareth managed to duck just in time so that it went sailing past, but he wasn't so lucky when a lobster hit him upside the head. "Ha!" came the triumphant shout from his attacker as she lobbed a monkey at him followed immediately by an owl.

The monkey connected, but he caught the owl. Narrowing his eyes at her, he threw the offending toy back at her, catching her squarely in the chest. This, of course, instigated a veritable war of stuffed animals and small throw pillows—which were finally earning their name—flying about the room as Sarah and Jareth grabbed whatever plush item was handy to use in their defense. She had the upper hand initially, forcing him to retreat to the floor on the other side of her bed, popping up only to return fire with the previous toy bombs thrown at him. It wasn't long before Sarah was pressed up against her side of the bed trying to avoid Jareth's rather accurate volleys, both of them looking like a couple of crazed jacks-in-the-box.

Soon enough, Sarah ran out of ammunition in the way of stuffed animals. Instead, she grabbed one of the pillows from her bed, leapt up and over, and firmly whumped the Goblin King on top of the head. He stared at her, dazed and wide-eyed for a moment, then snatched up the other pillow and whapped her in return. The pillow fight that ensued was rough and tumble, and quite a few Beanie Babies were seriously squished by the flailing combatants as they wrestled for supremacy. Eventually, they ended up in a tangle on the floor in the middle of the fluffy carnage.

Jareth lay on top of Sarah, both of them laughing and giddy as they struggled to catch their breath. The laughter slowly died down, and they become conscious of their relative positions. Nervousness started creeping up Sarah's spine as she gazed up into Jareth's face, his carefree, sweet expression catching her off-guard with its lack of artifice. Returning his charming smile happened automatically, and when he tilted his head down to kiss her, it seemed the most natural thing in the world to meet him halfway. Minutes passed in silence as the two lay kissing on the floor, Jareth's arms sliding under her back to cradle her shoulders and head. Sarah tentatively draped her arms over his shoulders, crossing them behind his neck and pulling him closer.

A tiny moan escaped her as his mouth slid over hers, and he responded by kissing over her jawline and down the side of her neck, eliciting more little noises from the girl beneath him. Jareth nibbled gently on her slim throat, enjoying the way she began to move restlessly underneath him. There was a forest fire in her veins—Sarah was sure of it. Every kiss, every flick of his tongue on her skin, seemed to make the heat in her body ratchet up another degree until she was sure she would spontaneously combust. As Jareth took possession of her mouth again, the small part of her brain that was still functioning had a sudden realization. So _this_ was desire—not the usual teenage hormone induced horniness that she'd experienced over the last year or so. What his kisses were doing to her went far beyond her own tentative self-explorations, and Sarah was abruptly unsure whether she'd survive any activity that involved more than just kissing.

Just as she was coming to the conclusion that she was going to melt into the floor, he eased up from her some, looking down at her with the strangest mixture of amusement and longing. Sarah had just noticed something lumpy digging into her backside, and her face was scrunched up as she tried to reach under herself to find the source of her discomfort. Jareth was hard pressed to contain his laughter as she contorted every which way to get to the problem. Finally, she brought her hand back up, the Beanie owl clenched in her fist. She shook it in his face with mock severity and muttered darkly, "Pain-in-the-ass owl," giving him a pointed look.

Finally unable to hold it any longer, Jareth let loose a deep belly laugh before kissing her again. Several more minutes of his attentions, and Sarah was close to becoming a puddle of goo again. It wasn't long before he realized he needed to slow down and tenderly broke the kiss. A hand came up to gently caress her cheek before Jareth moved off of her completely and stood, reaching down to pull her up after him. He held Sarah close to him for a bit, burying his face in her dark tresses and inhaling her scent. After a few moments of peaceful silence, he murmured, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so forward with you."

"I don't mind," Sarah replied without thinking, causing him to laugh softly and a deep blush to stain her cheeks. "I . . . I didn't mean it like that," she stammered, pulling away a bit. "It's . . . I mean …. Oh, hell."

He laughed a little harder at her stuttering reply and soothed her by saying, "That's quite alright, Sarah. I promise I won't let the flattery go to my head." The smile he gave her was full of mischief.

Returning the smile, she hit him lightly on the chest. "Stop it. No more teasing," she deadpanned, pointing a finger at him.

This time when he caught her finger, he gave it a gentle nip. "I never tease, dear girl," he replied seriously, "I merely taunt." He gave her a wink and a quick kiss on her still captive finger before letting her go. Walking to her bed, he sat and patted the area next to him. "Come talk with me, Sarah. Tell me about your school and your hobbies, your favorite things, your family—I want to know all about you," he told her sincerely.

"What about you?" she queried as she moved to join him. "Do I get to ask you questions?"

Jareth chuckled and nodded. "Ask anything you like, sweet child, and I will answer it honestly," came his assurance. "Now sit, and let us see if now that we have beaten each other senseless, we can get along more amicably. Hmm?" The wicked grin lighting his features gave him a youthful air and made him seem more inviting than he had in the past.

Taking a seat next to him, Sarah acquiesced, "Okay. I guess we can talk—as long as the cease-fire holds."

"Of course," was the sage reply as he leaned back on his hands, inviting her to begin.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** See chapter one.

* * *

The next few weeks passed quickly, the nights holding a similar pattern of Jareth arriving sometime after dinner was over, and Sarah was almost always in her room when he'd show up. They'd stay ensconced there for two or three hours at a time most evenings, neither noticing the passing of time. If Sarah stayed in the house more than she used to, well, her parents didn't think anything unusual of it. And if she was more willing to watch Toby when they went out on weekends, they certainly weren't going to complain and upset the new status quo. They were just glad that she seemed to be taking her schoolwork more seriously and that her flights of fancy had dwindled down to a minimum.

One night, a little over a month after their first encounter, Sarah and Jareth were once again sitting in her room talking when their routine suddenly shifted. In a moment of amiable silence, Sarah asked, "Why don't you ever take me anywhere?"

Jareth turned toward her, a surprised expression gracing his features. "What?"

"Why don't you ever take me anywhere?" she repeated more boldly. "Nova is always out on a date with whoever her current boyfriend is. I mean, a girl likes to be asked at least," she finished a bit more quietly as she noticed his unblinking stare.

Several seconds ticked by before Jareth smiled and asked," Would you like to go on a date, Sarah? I'd be more than happy to take you somewhere." He paused briefly as he tried to think of something appropriate. "What was that film you were wanting to go see? We could do that."

The wind was quickly blown out of his sails when she shrieked, "Are you crazy! We can't go anywhere! What if someone I knew saw us?" A panicked look crept over her face. "What if someone my _parents_ knew saw us? No. Absolutely not. It's out of the question," Sarah said resolutely.

For his part, Jareth was thoroughly confused and simply gawked at her incredulously. "Excuse me, but what in the seven hells are you going on about? First you ask me why I don't take you places, and as soon as I suggest something, you act as if I've betrayed you." He stood and crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at her warily. "Just what, pray tell, do you want from me?"

Sarah shrank back a bit at his imperious tone, not quite sure herself where that outburst had come from. "I'm sorry, Jareth. It's just that I _want_ to go places with you—try the dating thing. But if my parents ever found out about us, I'd probably be stuffed into a convent somewhere. And you…. I don't even want to think about what they'd do to you."

Seeing her worry, he sat back down beside her. "I don't understand what the fuss is about. What could your parents possibly do to me?" he asked in an amused tone.

"How about never seeing me again?" she queried. When he waved that off with a flick of his wrist she added, "You could go to jail for one thing."

"Prison? Whatever for?" he questioned, the surprise in his tone evident.

"I'm a minor, Jareth. There are laws against this sort of thing," she explained, gesturing between the two of them.

His brow furrowed in thought, and he demanded, "What sort of laws?"

She looked down at her hands, which were twisting nervously in her lap, and blushed a deep crimson. "Age of consent," she muttered as quietly as possible.

Nothing was said for a few moments then Jareth shrugged and stated, "Ah, but we're not involved in any sexual activities."

Sarah turned an even darker shade of red at that. "But people will think we are. They're going to automatically assume that a guy in his thirties going out with a fifteen year-old girl is up to no good," she tried to explain.

"Yes, but again, I'm not, and we're not. That shouldn't be a difficult concept for others to grasp," he reasoned.

"People just won't see it that way," she pressed.

Sighing heavily, Jareth changed tactics. "Alright then, what _is_ the legal age of consent here?"

"It's different in every state, but it's sixteen here in Massachusetts."

"Problem solved. You'll be sixteen this month, yes?"

Hunching down even further, Sarah wished she could crawl under the bed before she said anything else. "Yes, but it's raised to eighteen if the minor's a virgin." Her words were fast and mumbled so that he could barely make them out.

"Ah," came the eventual reply. "That _does_ pose a problem," he murmured. After a moment, he seemed to brighten, turning to her to ask, "Couldn't a doctor verify your . . . chastity if a problem ever arose?"

"_What!_" she squeaked. "If I've never let someone I know put his hands down there, do you _really_ think I'm gonna let some strange doctor touch me?" Sarah demanded indignantly, eyes flashing dangerously.

He held up his hands in a placating gesture, leaning away from her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Obviously, that option is out." Several minutes of tense silence later, he tentatively asked, "Why don't I take you out somewhere away from here? Far enough away so no one would recognize you?"

Realizing that this was probably her best option since she really did want to go on a date with him, Sarah nodded. "That sounds like it might work," she admitted, a small smile starting to light her face.

A mischievous grin curled the corners of Jareth's mouth as he leaned closer to her and in a low tone goaded, "Now, I wonder how you happen to know these particular laws so well. Are you anticipating something, perhaps?" His knowing look and the way he asked sent another bright rush of blood to Sarah's cheeks, causing him to throw back his head and laugh merrily.

* * *

It was almost two weeks later that Jareth announced, "We're going out tonight," as soon as he popped into Sarah's room. "I've found the perfect place to take you, and it's far enough away that we shouldn't come across anyone you know."

"Huh?" Sarah looked up from her homework, confusion creasing her brow. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about a date. You did say you wanted to go out with me, did you not?" he asked as he made himself comfortable in the window seat.

"Yeah, but...," she began.

Having confirmation, he continued, "I have planned a night out for us. Tonight!" He gave her a quick once over, noticing her baggy T-shirt and ripped jeans, and added "You may wish to change before we leave."

"Wait a minute. Wait a minute! Back up the bus." She stood and put her hands on her hips as she glared down at him. "First of all, where are we going, and just what do you have planned? And secondly, I'm not the only one who needs to change."

Leaning back against the window frame, Jareth smiled slightly, replying, "We're going to Boston, and I'm taking you to the movies. I believe _Mission: Impossible_ was released yesterday, and you had mentioned that you wanted to see it." Having answered her first question, he turned his attention to her comment about his attire. Though he'd already planned on changing his clothes to something more appropriate, Jareth simply couldn't resist the opportunity to get her all riled up. He made a show of looking down at himself in wonder before asking haughtily, "What is wrong with what I am currently wearing?"

Sarah blinked a few times in disbelief then said sarcastically, "Oh, _sure_, you look fine for a Renaissance fair or for a LARPer, but there is _no way_ I am going to the movies with you looking like the cover of a Harlequin Romance novel."

Puzzled, he inquired, "And just what, pray tell, is a LARPer?"

"Live action role playing. It's someone who plays a part in a type of . . . living game. That's the best I can explain it," she replied distractedly. "And don't try to change the subject, Mister. That outfit has _got_ to be changed."

Standing, he pursed his lips then nodded. "Alright." A snap of his fingers, and his usual attire of tight breeches and boots, poet shirt and vest was gone. In its place were loose fitting black slacks, a black T-shirt, and black blazer.

"Oh no. _Way_ too eighties. Try again," she demanded, arms crossed over her chest defiantly.

Deliberately provoking her, Jareth smiled to himself and changed again. Another snap had him in khakis and a brown polo shirt, complete with brown loafers.

Her eyes widened in alarm. "Oh my God! I am _so_ not going out with a prep." A quick glance at his shoes earned him a horrified expression as she wailed, "And a nerdy one, at that! Okay, okay," she tried to calm herself. "We'll wait on the clothes for now." Sarah leveled him with a critical look and warned seriously, "The makeup and hair have to go. You do realize that it's kinda like the negative of a male Elvira. You go anywhere like that, and you're gonna get laughed at, beat up, or both."

Chuckling at Sarah's dramatic responses to his appearance, Jareth decided it was time to let her off the hook. "I suppose I could play nice," he said with a grin and snapped his fingers one last time. The reaction he received was worth the multiple changes. Sarah stared in disbelief at the man standing before her. Dark Nike's covered his feet and led up to a pair of slightly faded blue jeans that hugged his hips tightly. A deep blue T-shirt fit snug against his lean torso and tucked into the jeans, accented by a black leather belt. The makeup was gone, revealing arched light brown eyebrows and naturally long lashes. But the thing that took her breath away was his hair. It was still a pale blonde but now hit a little below his jawline in a slightly choppy cut that was almost layered but more random, getting longer as it moved away from his face. A few strands fell over an eye, and he flashed her a devilish smile. As his head turned, the light caught on a small silver hoop dangling from his left earlobe.

A rush of air escaped Sarah's lips as she murmured an awed, "Whoa."

"I take it you approve," he teased as she continued to stare.

"Wha?" Sarah asked dazedly. She shook her head then, in a more coherent tone, added, "Yeah, that's just fine. I'll change now." Back turned, she rummaged through her closet for a nicer pair of jeans and a loose green button-down top. When she turned back around, she found Jareth still standing in her room, watching her, a wicked glint in his eyes. "I'm not changing in front of you. You can just leave the room, and I'll call you when I'm done," she said, making shooing motions with her hands.

His eyebrows rose at her demands, and he baited, "I'm not leaving just so you may change your clothes. You are wearing undergarments, are you not?"

Eyes widening in disbelief, Sarah spluttered, "What! I don't think so, Mister." When a couple of minutes had passed and he still hadn't moved, she heaved a sigh and told him, "Fine. You can stay. But turn around, and no peeking!" Once she was sure he had turned around and was facing the window, Sarah turned her back to him and began to strip down to her underwear.

Gazing at the window, Jareth discovered that with it dark outside, the glass worked like a mirror, showing him Sarah's form as she changed clothes. His smile returned when he saw that she hadn't been wearing a bra under her T-shirt. There was no denying that the girl was well-developed for her age, and if he hadn't known that she wouldn't be sixteen for another couple of weeks, he'd have guessed her to be closer to eighteen or nineteen. Jareth admired her perky breasts as long as he could, disappointed when she put on her bra and shirt, effectively covering his view.

Finished dressing, Sarah cleared her throat. "Okay. You can turn back around now."

The knowing smirk he flashed her made her frown, wondering what he was up to. "If you're ready, we should be going."

Sarah rolled her eyes as she informed him, "We can't just walk out the front door together, you know. Dad and Karen don't know anything about you and would _freak_ if they saw you coming out of my room."

"I could put up a spell that would make them think you're in here—much like the sound barrier I erect when I visit," he offered.

"No. They could always walk in and see that I'm gone." Sarah thought for a minute, chewing on a nail as she tried to come up with a plan. "I know. I'll tell them I'm going over to Nova's. I haven't been over there in so long, they're starting to wonder if I've had a fight with her." Grinning at her plan, she added, "It's not far to her house, so Dad won't care if I walk it. I'll just meet you around the corner."

Jareth grabbed her arm just before she opened the door. "Shouldn't you inform your friend that you're using her as an alibi?"

Looking a bit sheepish, she turned back and headed for the phone. "Good idea."

After talking to her friend—who was still yelling at her for an explanation when she hung up—Sarah managed to leave the house with no problems. She met Jareth just down the block, and he transported them to the movie theater he was taking her to in Boston. They appeared at the back of the building, deep in the shadows to hide their sudden arrival. The movie was fun for both of them—Jareth not having seen one since the late 1940's. Afterwards, the couple took a taxi to Harvard Square where they ate at Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage. A quick stop at a nearby restroom, and Jareth whisked them away to Concord for a moonlit walk around Walden Pond.

Upon arriving back at the house, Jareth stood quietly with Sarah outside the front door, the two of them staring at each other in comfortable silence as, inside, the clock began to chime eleven times. "I had a wonderful time," Sarah said, finally breaking the quiet that had settled over them. "Thank you."

He returned her smile and leaned in close, murmuring, "As did I." Without any warning, he cupped her face gently in his hands and placed a soft kiss on her lips. His "Goodnight, Sarah," floated to her on the wind as he faded away.

Sarah made her way to her room slowly, a silly grin plastered on her face the entire way.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** See Chapter One. 

**Author's Note:** I have no excuse for taking so long to get out this chapter. Life has simply been very busy these last few months. Fear not, though, I won't abandon my stories--even if there's an ungodly gap between chapters sometimes. My humble apologies for making all of you lovely people wait for this. Thank you for picking it up again. Also, I'm halfway through the 3rd chappy for _Fee Fi Fo_. If you like _Buffy_, I'll be posting a story over there in the next couple of days, too. And as if I don't have enough of these little buggers floating around, I've got ideas for another Laby story. My Muse has brought friends, aparently. :) Some _Star Trek: Voyager_ stories that have been completed may also go up soon if anyone's interested. I think that's it for now--I hope. LOL Enjoy, and please R&R. _Pretty please?_

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Several more dates came and went over the following two weeks, and all was going rather well until a strange thing called chance reared its ugly head. Karen was walking down the cereal aisle at the local grocery store when she ran into Nova's mother.

"Marlaina, how are you doing?" she asked cordially as the parental unit of Sarah's best friend and alibi neared.

Looking a bit harried, the dark haired woman replied, "Oh, just fine. How are Robert and Toby? And Sarah—how's she doing? We haven't seen her in the longest time."

Karen's eyes widened slightly at this tidbit of information, but she remained calm and said, "She's good. Been a bit busy with schoolwork now that the year's almost over."

Nodding knowingly, Marlaina agreed, "Yes, I wish Nova would apply herself half as much as Sarah does. Oh well," she shrugged it off. "Tell Sarah we've missed her."

"Alright," came the light reply as the two women headed in opposite directions. As soon as she was well past the other mother, Karen's eyes narrowed, and her hands gripped the grocery cart until her knuckles turned white. "Oh, I'll be _very_ sure to pass on the message," she muttered darkly.

* * *

Home from her grocery trip, Karen called, "Robert!" as she entered the house through the garage door. Setting the groceries down on the kitchen counter, she walked into the living room. She glared at the study door and, placing her hands on her hips, yelled for her husband again, "Robert!"

Robert Williams came out of his office and gave his wife the interested yet slightly exasperated look one gives a spouse when the tone of voice suggests immanent unwarranted nagging. "Yes, Dear?" he asked in a tone that he hoped conveyed sincerity.

"Your daughter has been lying to us!" she exclaimed. "I ran into Marlaina at the store, and she said that Sarah hasn't been over to their house in several weeks." Karen threw her hands up in disbelief, continuing, "She's been slipping out almost every night doing God only knows what then turning around and lying to us about it. That girl is out of control, Robert," she added for good measure.

He ran a hand wearily over his face and sighed heavily. It _had_ been unusual for Sarah to be going out so often and so late, but she hadn't fallen behind on her schoolwork and had always been willing to baby-sit Toby when asked. Nodding his head, Robert acknowledged his wife's concerns, "I'll talk to her, Karen."

Sarah arrived home at nine o'clock that evening, her book bag slung over her shoulder, humming a tune as she closed the door. As she turned around to go upstairs, she froze as she saw her father and Karen sitting on the couch waiting for her. The smile she had worn slowly slipped from her face as the angry and disappointed stares being directed at her registered.

Seeing Sarah poised at the door as if ready to flee, her father gave her a grim smile and motioned her over, "Come have a seat, Sarah." He waited until she was situated in the chair across from them, her backpack settled at her feet, before he began. "Where were you this evening?" he asked kindly, hoping she'd have a good enough excuse to prevent him from going into a detailed discussion.

She glanced at the two adults sitting across from her and pasted on her best innocent look as she replied, "I've been over at Nova's helping her study. Why? Is something wrong?"

Her father sighed deeply and explained, "Karen ran into Nova's mother at the grocery store this afternoon. She said that they haven't seen you in weeks." Robert leveled a no-nonsense look at his daughter. "Now, let's try this again. Where were you this evening?"

Shifting a bit nervously, Sarah looked down at her hands folded in her lap. "I was out," she murmured quietly.

"Well you certainly weren't out with your friends," Karen said acerbically. "I called Nova after I got home. Apparently, you haven't done _anything _with your friends for the last two months." She narrowed her eyes at her stepdaughter and demanded, "Just _who _have you been going out with all this time?"

There was no way around it. She was going to have to tell them the truth—at least some of it. They'd never believe her if she told them everything, but Sarah figured she'd have to say something or they'd never let her leave the house again. Reluctantly, she told them, "I've been seeing this guy..."

"A _boy_!" her father all but shouted.

"You're _dating_!" Karen exclaimed happily, her entire demeanor changing in an instant. "Sarah, why didn't you tell us you were dating?" She leaned forward on the couch, ignoring her husband's stunned look. "Well, tell us all about him."

Eyes widening in panic, Sarah fumbled for words. "I . . . I don't know what to tell you."

"You can start by explaining why you didn't tell us about this in the first place," demanded her father in a much more stern voice than Sarah was used to hearing.

Sarah was starting to get pissed that her father only seemed to care what she was doing now that she was caught in the lie and not all those nights she'd been out late without an explanation. "Because you never care what I'm doing!" she shouted at him, her long-held frustration at his absentee parenting bubbling to the surface. "You ask how things are going, but you don't want to know. You just want me to tell you everything's fine so you can go back to ignoring me," she continued, the words spilling out of her mouth before she could stop them. "Well, you know what? Everything _is_ fine 'cause I've met this great guy who actually wants to know what I think and cares about my feelings! He's the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I didn't tell you because you'll just find some way to screw this up for me, too!"

Her father and Karen stared at her in shock, not used to such bare honesty from the girl. Robert's face darkened in anger, and louder than necessary, he laid down her punishment. "You want me to show an interest in what you're doing? That's fine by me. From now on, you'll only leave this house to go to school, unless Karen or I personally take you to see your friends and can guarantee you'll be with them. You _will not_ see this boy again until he comes over for dinner, and we get to meet him. Is that clear, young lady?" he stipulated.

Glaring at him from narrowed eyes, Sarah hissed, "Crystal." She gathered up her backpack and hurried up the stairs, slamming the door behind her and waking up Toby in the process.

Rubbing his hands over his face, Robert muttered to his wife, "_That_ went well."

Karen scowled slightly at him and sent a sympathetic look upstairs after her stepdaughter.

* * *

Tears streaming down her face, Sarah slammed her bedroom door behind her. She tossed her backpack carelessly across the room as she threw herself down on the bed, sobbing noisily. Jareth, who had sensed Sarah's distress and was waiting for her, saw the bag hurtling toward him and managed to catch it with a small "Oomph" of surprise. Setting it down on the floor, he sat on the bed beside Sarah, right foot tucked underneath him, left leg dangling off the side, foot resting on the floor. Placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, "What happened, Sarah?" he asked, concern lacing his words.

After a good deal of sniffling, Sarah managed to mumble a muffled reply. "Dad's grounded me because he found out I was sneaking off to see a guy. Now I can't go anywhere unless they drop me off with my friends." She sobbed a little more until he coaxed her to a sitting position and laid her head against his shoulder, stroking her long dark hair to soothe her. A little calmer, she added, "And he said that I couldn't see you anymore until you came over for dinner and they met you." Sarah grew distressed again as she lamented, "But they can't meet you! Dad'll call the police and have you thrown in jail, and he'll never let me out of his sight again. And even if you don't go to jail, I'll never get to see you again!" she concluded, her cries resuming.

Jareth chuckled indulgently and reassured her, "My dear, there's no prison in this world that can hold me. Should your father forbid me to see you again, I can just as easily whisk you away with me to the Underground where neither he nor any authorities can follow."

Large green eyes blinked at him from behind wet eyelashes. "But I don't _want_ to go Underground yet. I want to say here and finish school first."

He studied her in silence for a while before stating, "You're serious, I see." There was another pause, then, "Would you rather stay here in the Overground than go with me back to the Labyrinth?"

Expression panicked, Sarah shook her head vehemently. "No! That's not it. It's just…. I really want to finish school first. This year is almost over, and then I've only got two more years left after that. That's not too long is it?" she asked worriedly.

Jareth laughed again. "No, Love, that's not long at all. Make no mistake, your education is very important to me. But," here he waited to make sure he had her undivided attention, "I will not skulk around in shadows and meet only clandestinely with you during the next two years. Whether your father wills or no, I will see you when I wish, where I wish, and how I wish. Is that understood?" he finished sternly. Though she still looked a bit worried, Sarah nodded at him, a slight smile beginning to form on her lips.

Since their first date, Jareth had stopped wearing his gloves in her presence and so cradled her face in his bare hands. Drawing her close, he placed a tender kiss on her forehead, then the bridge of her nose, down to her cheeks to kiss away the last of her tears. Eventually, his lips found hers, and they spent several long minutes kissing before he pulled back slightly. "I love you, Sarah," he told her softly, his voice a bit husky at the end of his admission. "And unless you will it, I shall never leave you," Jareth vowed, kissing away the fresh tears his words had prompted from her eyes. "Now then, no more tears," he chided her with a bright smile. "I have a brilliant plan that, with a little date change, will allow you to see me and your parents be none the wiser."

"Oh, really?" Sarah asked, eyebrows raised and arms crossed in a fair imitation of the Goblin King at his most mocking. "And what does His Majesty propose?" she teased.

Grinning in response to her light mocking, he queried, "You said this Prom of yours is next Saturday?" At her nod of confirmation, he continued, "Then that night, you and I shall go out on a formal date. I have a lovely evening planned that I'm sure you'll find quite _memorable_." The last was said with such a wicked glint in his eyes that Sarah actually blushed. "Simply tell your parents that you're going to the Prom with your friends who will pick you up early. They will then take you to a prearranged place where I will be waiting for you, and our date will commence." Jareth returned her blossoming grin with one of his own. "Also, inform your family that you will be attending the after-Prom party you mentioned. With so many people in one place, no one could be sure that you _weren't_ there," he finished slyly.

Sarah gaped at him, mouth half open, and began giggling. "You really thought of everything, didn't you?" A mischievous spark lit her face as she questioned defiantly, "But what if I don't want to go?"

Eyes narrowed, Jareth watched her try to suppress a smirk. Deciding he didn't want to play nice, he put on his most seductive smile and picked up a lock of her hair, twining it around his fingers as he spoke. "Tell me, Sarah, would you _really_ turn down an obscenely extravagant meal and dancing underneath the stars to the accompaniment of a live orchestra?" Her surprised look was answer enough, but he wanted to push her a bit more than usual. "Wouldn't you like us to take the time to _truly_ get to know one another better?" he inquired, leaning closer until his lips were almost grazing her ear. Lowering his voice to a husky timber, Jareth murmured silkily, "Would you not take the opportunity to satisfy your curiosity . . ," he paused briefly, dropping his register even more, "your _desires_?" The hand in her hair had moved to her cheek, traced along her jaw and over lips, fingers skimming down the long column of her throat and were at that moment tracking the length of her collar bones as he finished speaking.

Hardly able to breathe, Sarah found herself pinned in place by his eyes and the naked desire she saw there as he gazed at her. She wanted him desperately; since she'd met Jareth, sexual desires had taken on a lot more substance. By no means naïve—with Nova (who, Sarah admitted to herself, was something of a slut) as a best friend, Sarah had acquired a good deal of information about sex—she lacked the experience to back up her knowledge. In the weeks since they had been dating, Sarah had found herself more and more turning to her own devices to relieve her frustrations. Right then, with the object of her fantasies sitting so near and teasing her so sweetly, she thought she might die if he didn't do something to remedy the situation.

Jareth had been studying her reaction during the quiet that had followed his last statement. The light flush of her skin, the slowly rising heartbeat felt under his fingertips, and the gentle quickening of breath told him everything he need to know. What was truly distracting him, though, was the fact that his sensitive nose had picked up the musky odor of her increasing arousal. So, he wasn't surprised when Sarah closed the space between them, pressing her lips firmly to his in one of the most passionate kisses he'd received from her yet. Keeping his hands on her neck and upper chest gentle, Jareth returned the kiss with equal fervor. As the seconds ticked by, his arms snaked around her torso, gradually pulling her to him until she was in his lap, her thigh pressing against his growing erection.

Hands fisted in the front of Jareth's shirt, Sarah helped him draw her in tighter, edging in as close as she could possibly get. The long, warm hands on her back, slipping underneath her shirts to caress her spine, and the delicious kisses were doing their best to intoxicate her senses, and Sarah was more than happy to let them. It wasn't long, however, before she noticed the bulge that was slowly putting increasing pressure on her thigh. She took a quick mental inventory, found herself straddling Jareth's bent right leg, her right thigh wedged firmly between his as they clung to each other. The sudden knowledge that she was actually turning him on was heady, causing Sarah to momentarily forget her hesitancy, fingers sliding down his chest and abdomen to finally come to rest on his burgeoning erection.

Breaking the kiss suddenly, Jareth gasped at her feathery touch, his eyes snapping to Sarah's to see the tentative twinkle there as she bit her lower lip uncertainly. Giving her a reassuring smile, he brought his left hand down to rest on top of hers, encouraging her to increase the pressure of her touch. She followed his lead eagerly, so Jareth drew her hand slowly up his length and back down again, keeping his hand only lightly situated over hers so she could easily pull away if she wanted. He guided her in that steady motion for a while, eventually removing his hand to stroke Sarah's throat lightly, moving to her chest and running over the upper swell of her breasts which were revealed by the two tank tops she'd layered that morning. The softness of his caress made Sarah sigh, the fire it ignited in her veins emboldening her own explorations of Jareth's body. She firmed her strokes, the thin pants he wore doing little to hide any details of his anatomy from her curious fingers. Pressing with her entire palm, squeezing the shaft slightly as she worked towards the head, Sarah learned his contours as best she could then inched back down to the base and further still until she cupped his scrotum, testing its weight in her hand. Sarah glanced up at Jareth's face, amazed to see his eyes closed and a look of pure bliss gracing his handsome features. A deep crimson stained her skin when he opened his eyes to watch her, causing her to still in embarrassment.

A fond smile tilted up the corners of Jareth's mouth while he enjoyed her innocent's blush. He avidly took in Sarah's reactions as he played more purposefully with her breasts. Snaking a finger under the neckline of her shirts and into the cup of her bra, he circled his nail just around her nipple, finally flicking over it as her breathing increased. After a few moments, he repeated the procedure with her other breast, all the while supporting her back and holding her close with his right hand. Jareth slid the hand on her back upwards, using the distraction of playing wither nipples to deftly unhook her bra. Sarah never noticed his sly maneuver until he started pulling one of the straps down her arm. Seeing recognition flash in her features, he froze, waiting for her cue before proceeding either way.

Sarah's eyes widened as she felt her bra slowly being removed. Grateful for Jareth's pause, she thought clearly for the first time about what she was doing. _Do I really want this to go further? Am I ready for this? **Yes,**_ she thought, moving in for a forceful kiss and flexing her hand around his shaft in answer to his continued stillness. It seemed that Jareth erupted into motion all at once, using both hands to quickly divest her of her bra without removing her tank tops. Right hand once again at the small of her back, Jareth's left hand began to knead her breasts, occasionally tweaking the alert nipples through the thin knit material. Several minutes passed in that manner—his lips constantly teasing hers while one very skilled hand manipulated her pert breasts. Reaching past the neckline of Sarah's shirts, he lifted a breast above the material, forefinger and thumb promptly pinching and rolling the nipple until it was pebbled and hard from the constant attention.

It was almost too much for Sarah as Jareth's teeth tenderly worried at her lower lip, his fingers all the while teasing her sensitive flesh. She gasped against his mouth as he pinched particularly hard, Jareth wasting no time in taking advantage of the opportunity to sweep his tongue past her parted lips. He learned every contour of her mouth as he tasted teeth and gums, tongue and frenum, flicking the barest touch over her hard palate, rewarded when she shuddered and the hand still holding his shirt fell down to clutch his side. A bit of coaxing and he lured Sarah's tongue into his own mouth to explore as he freed her other breast and set to work on it with nimble fingertips. Her soft moans spurring him on, his right hand slipped just inside the back of her jeans and underwear, rubbing small circles there and finding the two dimples just above her buttocks.

For her part, Sarah didn't seem to know which direction to go, wanting to lean into both of his hands simultaneously. A desperate noise escaped her when Jareth sucked hard on her tongue, her hips beginning to rock involuntarily, unconsciously pressing her mound against his muscled thigh as the tension in her body built. Jareth pulled back from the kiss, relishing her whimper of disappointment as their mouths parted. Sighing in pleasure, he watched her intently as she rocked into him, giving his erection a firm caress with each forward motion of her body. Making sure her caught her eye, he bent down until his warm breath tickled her young but full breasts. Sarah's breath caught in her throat at the wicked look Jareth flashed her just before his tongue flicked out over one of the hardened buds which he then kissed and mouthed gently with his lips as her eyelids slid shut, breaking eye contact. Bringing his left hand down to join his right, Jareth cupped Sarah's bottom through her jeans, pulling her harder against his thigh as he worked her breast with lips, teeth, and tongue. Small sounds of pleasure left Sarah's lips as she neared orgasm, and Jareth gently slowed her pace to bring her back down a bit before she could climax.

He almost chuckled as her brow scrunched up in consternation, an unhappy grunt accompanying it. Keeping one hand on her hips to guide her, Jareth unfastened his vest, shrugging it off that arm then switching hands so he could remove it completely. Then, he brought his right hand down between them to cup her trough her jeans, the heel of his palm pressing in just the right spot. Sarah pushed herself hard into his hand, her own hands finding their way under his shirt to explore his lean torso. Unable to wait any longer, Jareth used his left hand to unbutton her jeans, pulling the zipper down and parting the material as much as possible. Twisting his body just so, he pressed his palm to her abdomen, getting fingertips beneath her underwear and sliding his hand smoothly down until his fingers skimmed through her rough curls. Carefully gauging her reaction, Jareth wriggled his hand further down Sarah's mound, slipping over her nether lips and finding her thoroughly wet, the back of his knuckles covered by her damp panties.

A loud squeak left Sarah as Jareth's pointer and ring fingers eased apart her lips, allowing his middle finger to slide along her folds, running over her clit in the process. Gasps and whimpers filled the air as he expertly teased at the edge of her opening in small circles for a few long minutes, eventually taking pity on her, finger moving back to her clit, working faint zigzags over the little bundle of nerves. Jareth's right arm wrapped around Sarah's waist, holding her close while he brought her closer to the verge of climax. He savored every moment as he watched her face begin to contort in ecstasy as her orgasm started working through her, a bit surprised when a few tears spilled over Sarah's cheeks while the last waves rippled over her and she wailed out her release, sharp nails digging into his back. Slowing his movements, Jareth kissed her closed eyelids anxiously, relieved when she opened them and directed a beatific smile at him. Withdrawing his hand from her jeans, he brought it to his lips, seductively pushing his finger into his mouth and sucking it clean of her juices.

Sarah was just beginning to blush a brilliant red when Jareth swooped in and claimed her mouth, drawing her tightly to him as he laid back on the bed. She was draped down his body and could feel the hard length of his penis pushing into her belly. Recovering somewhat from her experience, Sarah slid to his side, her hand skimming down his chest to the prominent bulge in his pants, trailing her fingers along his shaft with a bit more confidence than before. Stroking him through the thin material, her hand moved to his waistband, hovering there hesitantly. Jareth chuckled at her uncertainty, telling her gently, "It won't bite you." Her genuine grin warmed him, but knowing how unsure she was, he pulled her back up next to him. Several minutes were spent raining kisses on her sweet mouth, Jareth finally inching Sarah's shirts up her torso and eventually over her head. Swinging a leg over her thighs, he leaned down over her and began kissing a trail down her chest and stomach. When Jareth reached her jeans, he hooked his fingers in the waistband and dragged them along with her panties off of her, removing her shoes when they got in the way. Sarah's flush returned under his intense scrutiny until he looked her in the eye and murmured reverently, "You're beautiful, Sarah. Don't ever feel that you must hide from me." He punctuated his statement by placing a kiss over her heart.

Gazing softly at him, Sarah suddenly noticed that he still had most of his clothes on. Tossing him an accusing look, she declared, "It's not fair."

He laughed merrily and asked, "What's that, Love?"

"You're way too overdressed if you ask me," she replied, grasping the bottom of his shirt and tugging it off of him. Sarah's hands freely roamed across his chest, tracing the light definition of his muscles, appreciating Jareth's lean frame. Deciding to see if he was as sensitive as she was, Sarah played her fingers over his nipples, watching in fascination as the pink buds pebbled under her attention. Her tongue snaked out, barely grazing his skin a few times before rasping heavily over a nipple. Jareth gasped as Sarah began to suck lightly, her teeth pinching in a growing rhythm as she became bolder. As she moved to the other nipple, he slipped a hand into her hair, encouraging her teasing, caught off guard when she bit harder than was comfortable, drawing a moan from him. Sarah's eyes flicked up to meet Jareth's when he laughed as she bit down again, reassured by his blissful smirk and the flash of lust in his eyes.

Finally feeling brave enough, Sarah grasped the top of his pants and eased them down his legs, vaguely wondering when his boots disappeared, her eyes going wide as saucers as she took in his erect penis bobbing over his belly. Jareth smiled indulgently, amusement filling him as she moved closer slowly, studying every inch of his naked form, her eyes continually going back to his erection. Gathering her courage, Sarah gently wrapped her hand around Jareth's shaft, marveling at the satiny feeling of his skin as her hand moved slowly over him. He sighed happily when she began to explore him more intimately, her other hand coming up to cup his balls, squeezing tentatively and pulling another moan loose in the process. Sarah was amazed at how hard Jareth was but could still have some give when she held him tightly. Fingers trailing up his shaft, she noticed how his cock was long but faintly slender with a slight taper nearing the head. This Sarah examined closely, carefully pulling back the foreskin and fingering the slit at the tip, causing Jareth to jerk, an inarticulate cry escaping him. She repeated the caress and was rewarded with another lift of his hips, a grin starting to creep across her face as he gasped.

When Sarah started to stroke up and down his length, Jareth stopped her and drew her closer. Grinning wickedly, he removed her hand and guided it between her own thighs, pushing her fingers between her folds to stroke herself a little then pulling her hand back to his cock, wrapping it around the shaft and slicking up and down several times before releasing her. Sarah was utterly surprised by Jareth's actions, embarrassed and confused until she realized that her hand now moved over him much more easily. Tightening her grip a bit, she worked him a little faster, watching his mouth open as he began to pant slightly. She wanted to make him cry out like she had and decided that she could do the one thing she'd been worried about trying. Leaning over him, Sarah parted her lips and slowly placed a kiss on the tip of his penis, making Jareth jerk violently and stare at her in astonishment. Taking that as a good sign and not feeling icked, Sarah took the head of Jareth's cock into her mouth, gradually figuring out just how hard to suck and still be able to breathe. After a little bit, she began moving slightly up and down, her hand stroking his shaft in unison with her mouth. Suddenly, Jareth tightened his grip with the hand that was tangled in her hair, trying to warn her as he threw his head back and came with a loud gasp, unable to pull her back soon enough, his cum filling Sarah's mouth. A moment of panic swept through Sarah as she tried to figure out what to do. The sweetness of him finally registered, and she made a quick decision to swallow, surprised but happy when her stomach didn't turn over.

Jareth hurried to pull her into his arms, smoothing the hair out of her face as he apologized. "I'm so sorry, Sarah. I wasn't expecting to cum so quickly or I would have given you more warning," he said, worry pronounced in his expression.

Sarah shrugged with a grin and told him, "It's okay. You taste really sweet, so I don't mind." At seeing his furrowed brow, she added, "Really, Jareth. I mean it."

A happy laugh escaped him as he pulled her close and kissed her soundly, working her mouth open under his, tasting himself on her lips, licking a tiny drop of cum off of her chin. Seeing Sarah's eyes start to grow heavy, Jareth flicked his wrist and they were suddenly under the covers. All at once, Sarah jerked her head up and muttered, "Oh no. What about Dad and Karen?" she asked, a hint of fear tingeing her voice.

"Shh," Jareth soothed her, stroking her hair lazily. "I put up a silencing charm after you slammed your door. Your parents never heard a thing. And in the morning they will find themselves avoiding your room, deciding it's better to let you sleep in than wake you," he explained patiently. Jareth placed a tender kiss on her lips and snuggled her closer. "Goodnight, Sarah," he whispered. "I love you."

From the crook of his shoulder he heard a mumbled, "G'night. Luff ew tuh," as Sarah drifted off to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** Second verse, same as the first. I'm Henry the eighth I am... Oops. Wrong one. :P I own nothing but the plot and Sarah's friends. They're mine. Mine I tell you!

**Author's Note:** Lookie! A new chapter! Ta daaa! I've had too much sugar today. Hehe. On to the story. Please R&R. Please? I promise to write faster if you do.

* * *

**Chapter Six**

The faintest rays of early morning sunlight crept through the window and fell on the sleeping couple, causing Jareth to stir slowly. Stretching languidly, he was careful not to move too much for fear of rolling off the narrow bed. A quiet sigh drew his attention to the young woman lying next to him. Sarah was lying on her back, an arm flung carelessly above her head, the other draping across her flat abdomen, rising and falling with each deep breath. Jareth's eyes hungrily took in the sight of her firm breasts exposed to the cool morning air, their peaks pebbled and seeming to beg him to lean over to kiss them. Unable to resist the sight before him, he bent his head down, tongue snaking out to trace a winding path around the closest nipple. Flicking the taut skin a few times, Jareth pulled the nub into his mouth and began to suck on it softly, eventually kissing a trail across her chest to the other nipple and repeating the process there. His efforts were rewarded when Sarah shifted restlessly beside him and moaned softly in her sleep.

Encouraged by her response, Jareth mouthed the pliant flesh of her breasts, using teeth and persistent suction to leave small red marks in his wake. He shifted to his hands and knees and moved over Sarah, working a trail of kisses and nibbles down her torso, pulling the sheet out of his way as he went. With her legs slightly parted, Jareth slipped a knee between her thighs, gently nudging them apart as he licked around her navel then traveled lower. Upon reaching the dark curls covering her mound, he took a moment to inhale her musky scent then placed a kiss on her nether lips, gradually working them open with his mouth until his tongue slipped easily between the folds. Jareth's eyes closed as he drank in the taste of her, savoring the moment before teasing over her clit then moving down to her opening.

Sarah finally began to wake, easing into consciousness and the most heavenly feeling she'd ever experienced. Eyes reluctantly cracking open, she directed her gaze down her body to land on the Goblin King who was crouched between her legs at the foot of the bed, his mouth over her sex, pale eyes watching her with intense heat. It took a few moments for her sleep-fuzzed brain to connect the sensations radiating from her groin with the fact that Jareth was hunkered down amid her thighs. "Uh, wha…," she mumbled incoherently, her voice cut off as he chose that moment to delve his tongue inside her opening, bent on learning every texture within its reach. Sarah's mouth dropped open in an O, a gasp escaping as his rough tongue twisted in and out of her in a steady rhythm. The seconds seemed to stretch interminably into long minutes as Jareth pursued the exquisite torture. After what felt like an eternity to Sarah, Jareth turned his attention higher, running his tongue up her folds to the little bundle of nerves at the top.

Satisfaction flooded him as Sarah jerked at the intimate touch, and he began in earnest to lave her clit in little circles and zigzags, working her closer and closer toward a release. Short, quick cries of pleasure filled his ears while she reached down, blindly groping until she caught a handful of his long hair and held on for dear life. Feeling her body trembling around him, Jareth used the flat of his tongue to stroke her sensitive flesh, gripping her hips to restrain her movements slightly. He wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked on her with increasing pressure, tongue still rasping over the little nub. The trembling against him grew, and Jareth watched with a little awe as Sarah's back arched, her head falling back as a high pitched moan tore from her throat as she came. Heat flooded his abdomen and moved down to his cock at the sight of his lover caught in her orgasm. Unwilling to end the moment, Jareth kept sucking on Sarah's clit, shuddering with his own arousal when her first orgasm dipped then rushed into a second one. He rode it through to a third, delighting in her cries and whimpers as her body tensed and relaxed repeatedly.

Jareth was hard and aching by the time he finally let Sarah come down, placing kisses along her inner thighs and into her rough curls. His cock twitched against his belly, reminding him of his painfully erect state, a drop of precum pearling up at the tip. Surging up the bed, Jareth draped himself on top of Sarah, his prick grazing over her folds, eventually easing between the wet lips without penetrating her as he let his lower body rest fully into hers. He rocked his hips against her slowly, his cock slicking along her sex, the head of his penis rubbing over her clit with each stroke. Looking down at Sarah beneath him, Jareth felt a rush of pride when she turned a flushed face toward him, gazing back in wonder, her eyes widening suddenly as another orgasm rapidly approached. The gentle thrusts quickly grew more passionate, his pace increasing as the tension built at the base of his spine, and he moved against her velvet skin with a new fervor. All at once, the tension broke as Sarah found release, whimpering against his shoulder as she clutched him tightly, and Jareth followed a few moments after, cock jerking slightly as he came, his cum spraying over her belly and his, forming a sticky seal between them as he collapsed on top of her.

Sliding off to lie beside her, Jareth grabbed his shirt from the floor and used it to clean them both, carelessly tossing it back onto the carpet when he was done. Sarah was still trying to catch her breath when he leaned forward and caught her mouth in a deep, sensuous kiss. "Thank you, Love," he murmured into her skin as he trailed tender kisses down her throat and shoulder then back up again.

Her brain finally able to form a coherent thought, Sarah asked him incredulously, "You're thanking _me_? I just had the most mind blowing experience of my life, and _you're_ thanking _me_?"

Jareth chuckled and told her affectionately, "Gods, how I love you," tucking a few wild strays of hair behind her ear and kissing her cheek. His eyes drifted over Sarah's relaxed and disheveled form, causing a smug smirk to turn up the corners of his lips. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you look right now—thoroughly ravished and sated with sex?" Jareth's teeth nibbled on her earlobe, drifting to the area just behind her ear to nip and suck gently.

She giggled at his words and actions, wriggling a bit and trying to scrunch up that side of her neck to block his access. "Flatterer," she accused with a snicker. "Stop it. That tickles!" she screeched when he still managed to place a few tender bites on her neck.

Conceding, he pulled back a bit, flashing her a devilish smile. "What would you like to do today?" Jareth asked, propping his head in his hand, elbow digging into the mattress.

"Um, I was thinking about trying to catch my friends at Starbucks," Sarah replied, biting her lower lip uncertainly. "I need to apologize for ignoring them lately. And I have to tell them about you and Dad's punishment, and let them know the plan for Prom." Her large, green eyes looked up at him for approval, and he smiled in return.

"I think that sounds like a very good idea. I'm sure they've been wondering about you lately. Perhaps I should meet them so they know that I'm not some nefarious scoundrel," he teased, tugging on a lock of her hair.

Laughing, she swatted at his side, admonishing him, "Don't you dare! I'll have enough to explain without you showing up being all Mr. Older Guy. Besides," she added in a grumble, "either Dad or Karen has to take me. I can't just walk there on my own now."

Jareth pushed down a grin at her dramatic sigh and gently turned her face to his so she was looking at him. "Hey now, we'll find a way to make this work. I promise you, Sarah." He followed his statement with a light kiss on her lips, making a smile appear on her face. "That's better. Now, what's a Starbucks?"

Sarah spent the next hour explaining the wonders of coffee and mochas in particular. She talked about her friends, expressed her concerns about how they'd react to her and her explanations, and Jareth patiently listened and gave advice where he felt she'd listen. Eventually, though, the day had to begin. Sarah had to make an appearance downstairs, and Jareth had a kingdom to run. He promised that he would return that evening after she'd visited with her friends then left with a long parting kiss, wishing for the time when he wouldn't have to leave.

* * *

The car was silent as Karen drove Sarah downtown to the local Starbucks to meet her friends. She'd left Toby at home with his father in the hopes that she could talk to her stepdaughter some on the ride over. After several aborted attempts at conversation, Karen glanced at Sarah and informed her, "For the record, I think your father was a bit harsh last night."

"You do?" Sarah blurted before she could check herself, staring at her stepmother with utter disbelief.

"I ran into Nova's mother yesterday at the store, and she told me that you hadn't been over to see Nova in weeks," she admitted. "I told your father, and thought he'd ground you for a couple of weeks. This really wasn't what I expected." Giving Sarah an apologetic smile, she added, "I agree that you should be punished for lying to us about where you'd been, just not something so drastic. I'm sorry, Sarah."

Unsure of what to say, Sarah mumbled, "Thanks, Karen." Just then, they reached Starbucks and pulled up to the curb. Seeing her friends through the glass front of the store, Sarah turned to Karen and said, "Well, they're here. Do you want me to call you when I get ready to leave?"

Her stepmother flashed her a warm smile and told her, "I'm sure one of them drove here. You can get them to give you a lift home," she told her with a conspiratorial wink.

Sarah blinked at her for a moment then gave a tentative smile in return, saying uncertainly, "Okaaay. I promise I won't be too late." She opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk, a bit surprised when the car pulled away before she got into the building.

Nova spotted her as soon as she opened the door and leapt up from her table to hurry to Sarah, her dark brown skin flushed with equal measures of anger and excitement. Grabbing her friend's arm, Nova drug her back to the table where their other friends waited. Plunking her down in a seat, the young woman dropped into the chair to her right and demanded, "Spill."

Wide-eyed and a bit bewildered, Sarah asked jokingly, "Don't I even get a chance to get some coffee before the interrogation begins?"

Nova's forehead scrunched up over flashing amber-brown eyes. "Fuck no," she dismissed her. "You have to tell us everything about what's been going on before you get a sip."

"Come on, guys. Help me out here," she implored the two boys sitting at the table.

Patrick shook his head vehemently, sending his long black hair flying about his face. "No way. She's out for blood," indicating Nova, "and I already gave this week."

A dark auburn head nodded in agreement. "You're on your own this time, Sarah," Tripp told her apologetically.

"Fine," Sarah sighed in resignation. "I guess I should start at the beginning."

"Ya think?" Nova interrupted sarcastically.

Sarah shot her an exasperated look before launching into the tale. "Okay. A couple of months ago, I was at the park—like usual—and met this guy there. He'd seen me acting out a play and started clapping when I finished. Said I was very, um, convincing," she said, blushing and trying to stifle a giggle as she remembered her and Jareth's first conversation about her acting. "Um, anywho, we talked a long time and he asked to see me again. So I told him where I lived, and he started coming over."

Tripp leaned over the table and asked in surprise, "You mean your dad actually liked him enough to let him come over to see you?"

"Uh…."

Patrick gave her a knowing look. "What is it?" he asked.

"He's older than me," Sarah admitted sheepishly.

Nova's eyes widened. "How much older?"

"A lot," was all she'd say.

"Somehow, I don't think your dad would let you see an older guy," Tripp reasoned.

Sarah looked down at the table to avoid their eyes. "Not really. I've kinda been sneaking him into my room. Through the window."

"You what!?" exclaimed Patrick loud enough to cause several heads to turn in their direction for a moment. Lowering his voice, he chastised her, "Sarah, you hardly know the guy and you're letting him into your room? He could be some kind of rapist or serial killer for all you know."

"But he's not," Sarah quickly defended Jareth. "He's sweet and funny and thoughtful. He takes me to the coolest places when we go out. Have you guys ever _been_ to Walden Pond after dark? It's amazing!"

Tripp broke into her rambling and asked with a chuckle, "So what's this mystery guy's name?"

"Jareth."

Still frowning a bit, Patrick said, "That explains why we haven't seen you outside of school for the last two months. But it doesn't explain the sudden chauffeur bit. Your parents never drive you anywhere unless you're going with them."

"Karen ran into Nova's mom yesterday at the store and found out that I really _hadn't_ been at her house all the times I was out with Jareth. So, she told Dad, I got the third degree, they found out I was seeing a guy, yelling happened, then bam, I can't go anywhere unless they take me." Sarah released a heavy sigh and muttered darkly, "It sucks."

"Harsh," commiserated Tripp.

"Okay, so you met this great guy, snuck out, got caught and grounded," Nova summed up impatiently. "But you still haven't told us the most important information, yet."

Sarah's brow wrinkled in confusion. "What?"

"Is he hot?" Nova demanded, her amber eyes sparkling brightly as she grinned at her friend.

"Oh my God." Patrick rolled his eyes. "I should have known. Is sex the _only_ thing you ever think about?" he asked Nova.

Looking affronted, Nova replied, "No." She pretended to think a minute then amended, "Wait. Yes, it is," flashing him a mischievous grin. "Want me to show you?" she asked, batting her eyes at him.

"Sweetie, sex with you is the reason why I'm gay," he explained in a sugary voice.

"Oh, you hurt my feelings," she mocked, putting on sad expression. They all laughed at the familiar banter, but true to form, Nova returned to her original question. "So? Is he hot or are you hiding him from us for a reason?" she teased.

"Fine," Sarah gave in. "Yes, he's very hot."

Nova waited for a few seconds then ordered, "Details, girl, details!"

Knowing there was no way out of this discussion short of leaving, Sarah told her, "He's blonde, 's got blue eyes, and he has this cute, tight little ass."

Outside, Jareth was leaning against the store's wall, using a crystal to listen to the friends' conversation, laughing at Sarah's last comment. Deciding it was time to make an appearance and stir things up a bit, he popped the crystal and headed inside, blending in perfectly in his black Tommy jeans, T-shirt, and sneakers. He walked right past the group of teenagers clustered around the table, and went to the counter to order something to drink, eavesdropping on the rest of their discussion.

"And how close have you gotten to Mr. Tight Ass?" Nova asked, winking at her.

Blushing, she said, "Close enough."

Her friend's eyes widened considerably, and she moved closer. "Ohmigod," she whispered excitedly, "you had sex with him!"

Sarah's blush deepened as she refused to look at her friends. "Um, sort of," she prevaricated.

Unable to help himself, Patrick asked, "What do you mean, 'sort of?' Did you, or didn't you?"

"Depends on how you define sex," Sarah replied, finally finding the courage to look up.

"Damn, girl," Nova muttered. Then, suddenly full of half-formed anger and an insatiable curiosity, she demanded, "When did this happen and why the fuck didn't you tell me?"

More than embarrassed at that point, Sarah mumbled hesitatingly, "Last night. And I'm telling you now."

"Is he any good?" Nova gushed, waiting for the juicy gossip.

Tripp was thoroughly pulled into the conversation by then and slapped Nova on the arm in exasperated disbelief. "How the hell would she know when she's never done it before?"

"Well, she can at least tell us if he managed to get her off," she countered. Turning quickly to Sarah, she asked, "Well, did he? Cause if he didn't, he's _so_ not worth your time."

Before Sarah could stammer a reply, Patrick abruptly sat up straighter and announced in an excited whisper, "Sorry to interrupt, guys, but major hottie alert, and he's headed this way!"

The four teens were startled by a slight scraping as a chair from the neighboring table was requisitioned and placed between Patrick and Sarah. A large pale hand placed a cup in front of Sarah as the hand's owner sat in the recently moved chair. All eyes turned on the new arrival then refocused on Sarah as she blushed the darkest shade of red they'd ever seen.

"Hello, Love," Jareth purred into Sarah's left ear, giving the lobe a swift kiss. "Miss me?" he asked her sweetly as he took a sip from his own paper cup. He grunted in surprise at the flavor and commented, "Not bad."

"Somebody you want to introduce us to, Sarah?" Tripp asked his friend, giving her a pointed look.

Gesturing vaguely, she said, "Everybody, Jareth. Jareth, my prying friends."

"I'm Tripp," the redhead announced, leaning forward slightly to shake Jareth's hand. "Pay no attention to her rudeness—we always do."

Catching Jareth's hand next, Patrick smiled brightly and greeted, "Hi, Jareth. If she ever develops a case of temporary insanity and dumps you for any reason, I'm interested."

Jareth chuckled and replied, "Hopefully, she won't come to her senses. But if she ever does, I'll keep that in mind," he concluded with a wink, causing Patrick's eyes to go round and Sarah to choke back a laugh.

"Shit, Sarah," Nova mused, "you weren't kidding when you said he was older."

"Yes, I am," he responded smoothly. "And to answer your question, yes, I did—five times, in fact. Once last night and four times this morning. Anything else you'd like to know?" he questioned her smugly.

Nova nodded enthusiastically. "Hell yeah. Sarah, you wanna share him?" she asked, eyeing Jareth appraisingly.

"Not a chance," she shot back. Sarah laughed, the awkwardness and tension suddenly gone.

"If you don't mind my asking, how do you know each other?" Jareth prodded.

Seeing no one else was going to answer, Tripp explained, "Well, Sarah and Pat met in drama class a couple of years ago. And she and Nova have been friends since elementary school. I went out with Nova a while back, but we've been in band together for several years." He paused then remembered, "Oh yeah, Nova also dated Pat's older brother and even went out with Pat two or three times back before he was sure he was gay."

Jareth raised an eyebrow at Nova who just grinned in return. No one said anything for a few moments, not sure what to talk about.

"Is it just me," Patrick wondered, breaking the silence, "or does he look like a slightly older Lestat to you guys?"

Tripp cocked his head to the side, considering the question. "You know, you're right."

"And so much more fuckable than Tom Cruise," Nova added, licking her lips.

"Such shocking manners," Jareth protested mockingly.

With a sweet smile, Nova flipped him off and retorted happily, "That's me—rude, crude, and socially unacceptable."

A short bark of laughter escaped Jareth as he draped an arm across the back of Sarah's chair. "You should have let me meet your friends earlier, Sarah," he admonished. "They're quite entertaining."

"Yeah well, I was trying to avoid the chance of my parents finding out about you," she reminded him. "Of course, now that they know I've been seeing a guy, they want to meet him. Can you just imagine what would happen if they saw Jareth?" Sarah bemoaned.

Pat grimaced. "I'm thinking bloodshed."

"Pretty much," Sarah agreed. "But Jareth has an idea on how to go out together again. It, um, involves you guys helping us," she admitted hopefully.

"Like we wouldn't help our friend," Nova scoffed. "Whatcha need us to do?"

Sarah told them their plan for Prom night and how she'd need to hitch a ride with them until they were far enough from her house and could meet up with Jareth. "And you have to _swear_ that I was at the party afterwards," she stipulated.

Tripp looked at her in askance. "Okaaay. How late are we supposed to say you stayed?"

"What do you think, you idiot?" Nova asked. "If anyone asks, we'll say she was with us all night." Turning to Sarah, she questioned, "You gonna have him drop you back off at Pat's so he can drive you home in the morning?"

"Actually, I hadn't thought of that. That's a really good idea," Sarah mused.

The five people finished discussing plans for their little subterfuge then moved on to other topics, Sarah's friends wanting to get to know Jareth better. Soon enough, it started to get late and the group got up to leave. As they exited the building, Sarah turned to the others and said, "Just a minute. I want to say goodbye to Jareth." Through a chorus of Okays, she grabbed his arm and drug him around the corner of the building and into the alley.

"Yes," Jareth drawled, amusement touching his voice as they stood in the growing shadows.

Fidgeting a bit, Sarah admitted, "I just wanted to say goodbye to you without having them hovering around us." Looking up to meet his gaze, she told him, "I'm glad you stopped by. It helped having you there with me."

"I'm more than happy to be of service," he informed her, pulling her into his arms. "Speaking of which, would you care for me to pay you a little midnight visit tonight?"

His words sent a little thrill up her spine, and she smiled shyly—but not without a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. "I think I might like that," Sarah confessed, tightening her grip around his waist.

"Hrrmmm," he purred into her neck, nuzzling her soft skin and placing a trail of kisses to her mouth. "In that case, let me say goodnight properly for right now." That said, he captured her lips in a searing kiss, eagerly taking possession of her mouth and sweeping his tongue out to taste hers. They remained in their fervent clench for a few long minutes, finally parting reluctantly. Jareth cupped Sarah's cheek with his left hand, murmuring, "I'll see you soon, Love. Until later." Placing one more quick kiss on her pouting lips, he released his hold and nudged her towards her friends who had been watching them from the end of the alley.

Sarah was met with catcalls and whistles as she neared her friends, and she swatted at them playfully, hearing Jareth's laughter spill out from the alley. "Come on, guys. I'm ready to go home." All the way back to her house, she chatted with the others but couldn't help thinking of her lover's promise to visit her later. So when she walked into her house and was greeted by Karen, she simply smiled, kissed her stepmother on the cheek, and wandered upstairs for a shower, humming a little tune as she went and leaving Karen blinking bemusedly after her retreating form.


End file.
